Electromechanical signaling device



July 10, 1934. F, OBERGFELL 1,966,042

ELECTROMECHANI CAL S IGNALING DEVICE Filed May 25, 1950 Patented July 10, 1934 UNETED STATES PATENT @FFEQ ELECTROMECHANICAL SIGNALING DEVICE of Delaware Application May 23, 1930, Serial No. 455,012

3 Claims. (Cl. 177--328) The present invention relates in general to electromechanical signaling devices, but is particularly concerned with the provision of devices of this character which, owing to the functions they are required to perform and the limited amount of space they. are permitted to occupy, make it necessary that they be very compact, and at the same time very reliable in operation.

As an example, the system disclosed in White application, Serial No. 425,121, filed February 1, 1939, discloses an electric display board for a system of power distribution in which display board miniature lamp signals are used extensively. The signal devices illustrated in the present application are considered to be much more desirable for certain types of installations than signals of the lamp type and are compactly designed to replace lamp signal devices, such as illustrated in the White application.

lhe invention is disclosed in a single sheet of drawing comprising Figs. 1 to 9, inclusive, illustrating various views of the signaling devices of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a front view of the device, in elevation; 2 is a side view; Fig. 3 is a rear end View; Fig. is a side View; Fig. 5 is a side View, of a portion of the device as seen in Fig. 4, but with certain portions broken away to more clearly show the operating mechanism; Fig. 6 is a similar view to Fig. 5, but shows a modified form of the device; '7 is a bottom view; Fig. 8 is an enlarged view of the portion of the device shown in Figs. 1 to 5 and 7, while Fig. 9 illustrates the markings on the periphery of the cylinder 11 of the device.

The device as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, and 7 is of the multi-position type. The frame member 1 serves as a support for the assembly. This frame member is made of light gauge sheet iron, perforated and bent into the form of a bracket appropriate for receiving the miscellaneous other elements which make up the device. It will be observed, upon examination of Figs. 1, 2, 4, 7, and 8 that free ends 6, 7, and 6', 7, of frame or support 1 are brought together. These free ends are spot welded so as to make the support a rigid structure.

Secured within the confines of the support 1 at one end thereof is an operating magnet 2, which is held in place by a stud 19 threaded into the core of the magnet 2. A terminal assembly having four terminals 5, mounted on an insulated disc is also held in spaced relation to the support 1 by the spacer 3, stud 19 and nut 18.

Adjacent the free end of the magnet 2, and in operative relation with the core thereof, is an armature 14. This armature is mounted in pivoted relation to the support 1 through the medium of lugs and a perforation in the side of the support which is visible in Fig. l and the shaft 22.

Secured to a sleeve member 41, shown in Fig. '7, is a drum ll, ratchet wheel 25, and a spring operating cam 40. These elements are all spaced in fixed relation to the sleeve and held in place in the support by a shaft 10. This shaft, as well as shaft 22, is riveted in fixed relation to the frame.

An operating pawl 15, in pivoted relation to the armature 14, links the ratchet wheel in operative relation with the armature. A combined armature and pawl back stop 23 keyed to the support 1 and held thereto, in properly adjusted relation to the pawl, by screw 24.

Mounted upon the support 1, intermediate to the drum 11 and armature 14, is a pair of contact springs 12 and 13 having upwardly extending terminals 12' and 13'. These springs are held in place by the bracket 26, into which are threaded the screws 33. A helical spring 9 links the armature 14 to the bracket 26 and functions to hold the armature 1 away from the pole piece of the magnet 2; while a helical spring 8 extending between the bracket 26 and pawl 15 serves to hold the pawl tensioned against the ratchet wheel 25.

The device, when wired for operation, has the winding of magnet 2 connected to two of the terminals 5, while the springs 12 and 13 have their terminals 12 and 13 connected with the remaining pair of terminals 5.

The device is arranged to be supported by the face portion 1'? and its associated lugs 15 sub-- stantially the same manner as the 12.. g nal units disclosed in the former application re-- ferred to.

It will be observed that the ratchet wheel has eight teeth and, therefore, eight operations of the magnet are required to rotate the cylinder or drum 11 one revolution.

As will be observed from Fig. 9 the circumference of the drum 11 has four divisions each or" different colors. As will be observed from Fig. l the face portion 17 of the support 1 has a window or opening therein through which the drum extends. At this opening one division of the drum is visible, and may show one solid color portion of the drum, or portions of two colors. Therefore, since the ratchet wheel 25 eight teeth it is possible to display eight signal combinations. With the color scheme illustrated in Fig. 9, these combinations would be red, red yellow, yellow, yellow blue, blue, blue green, green, and green red, respectively.

As illustrated in Fig. 5, the cam is arranged to close the associated springs 12 and 13 in but one of the eight positions of the cylinder or drum 11, but obviously, by modifying the cam the spring combination may be closed at other positions as well. The springs 12 and 13 -may-be utilized to control circuits or apparatus located at a point remote from the signal.

Under certain circumstances-his desirable to provide a signal interchangeable v 1th and having the same appearance to the observer as thesignal just described, but arranged to give but two indications in conjunction with the performing of a circuit switching operation in one of such positions. The arrangement shown in Fig. 6 meets this requirement and, except-for the omission of the pawl and ratchet mechanism and the substitution of a modified connection between t e magnet and the drum, is like the .former mechanism. The armature 34 is mounted in the same manner as the armature 14. A bracket 31 is substituted for the bracket 26 and has an upwardly extending element which serves as a back stop for the armature 34. SpringSZ, connected between the bracket 31 and the armature ,34, functions to hold the armature away from the core of the magnet 2.

Secured to the cylinder or drum 11, in substitution of the ratchet wheel 25, is a spacer block 36. The armature 34 is linked to the drum 11 through themedium of link 35, one end of which is pivoted to the block 36 by pin 3'7, while the other end is pivoted to-the armature 34 by pin 38. Upon energization of the magnet the armature 34 carries with it the link 35 which brings about the rotation of the drum 11 for a sufficient distance to completely change the surface of the drum 11 exposed through the opening in the face 1'7. This rotation also causesthe cam 40 to operate its associated-springs. Upon deenergization of the-magnet the spring- 32 causes the armature, drum, and springs to restore to their initial position.

From the foregoing it willbe appreciated that applicant has succeeded in designing a compact form of signaling device which may be readily constructed and which will be reliable in operation.

What is claimed is:

1. In a magnetic device, a sleeve having a ratchet wheel and spring operating cam thereon, a pawl for rotating said wheel, a magnet having an armature operable thereby to actuate said pawl, a spring pile-up including a pair of contact springs one of which is so mounted that it is movable into engagement with the other by said cam, springs connected with said pawl and armature, respectively, to hold the pawl in operative relation to said ratchet wheel and the armature away from said magnet, means included in said pile-upfor holding said last springs under tension comprising a'bracket perforated to receive such springs, and another spring included in said pile-up engaging and holding said ratchet wheel against retrograde movement during the operation of said pawl.

.2. In a signal device, an eleotromagnet, an armature, means for.mounting said armature in v(Lo-operative relation to said magnet; a shaft on which is mounted a display drum, a ratchet wheel, and a cam; aframe, means for supporting the shaft and said electromagnet to said frame, a pawl,-means for'mounting said pawl to be actuated;by,said armature to actuate said ratchet wheel, a spring, means mounting said spring for :holding ,said pawl in engagement with said ratchet wheel, asecond spring, meansmounting saidsecondspring to bias said armature away from saidelectromagnetand to move said pawl .in-ratchet actuatingdirection, two leaf springs,-

comperatingcontactson saidleaf springs nor mally spacedapart, one ofsaid leaf springs so mountedas to;be,moved by said camthat said contacts engage, a leaf spring for preventing retrograde movement of said ratchet wheel, a spring pile-up includingsaidleafsprings and a bracket, and meansfor securing one end of the holding springs tothe bracket.

In a displaydevice; a frame memberhaving an assembly rotatably mounted on one end thereof comprising a shaft supporting an indicating ,drum, .2. contact spring actuating cam, and a ture; and a pair of springs linked between said auxiliary assembly and said pawl and armature,

respectively, to normally hold said armature away from said electromagnet and said pawl constantly in engagement with said ratchet wheel. HERBERT F. OBERGFELL. 

